PEP Store Birch Acres Mall

was at the Pep store in Birch Acres mall on Saturday 04/12/21 round about 15:45 – 16:00pm.

I was in the queue, with only two items, the Bramely Tissue oil and body scrub gloves. The queue was extremely long and one of the shop assistants, who I believe was the team leader, then suggested to cut the queue so we can queue and be assisted at the cell phone till (or kiosk) at the front . The cashier at that till walked out and left us standing there, claiming she wasn’t told that there’ll be people that will be queuing there for assistance. After 30mins of standing there, not being directed what to do, we eventually had to go back to the other tills because we were not assisted.

I am highly disappointed with how the whole situation was handled. The team leader or the shop assistant who moved us from our queue didn’t check to make sure we were assisted, she didn’t even go behind the till and assisted since the cashier had left her work station. We had to stand for 30mins, thinking the cashier will return and we eventually went back to the other tills. Everyone just carried on as if it was normal for a cashier to leave their work station while more than 19 people were waiting in the queue to be assisted (during a pandemic if I may add)

I felt extremely disappointed because I’ve shopped at Pep store in Norkem Mall and Birchleigh Mall and have never experienced such terrible service. I felt offended, mistreated and undermined because I had to compare the malls based on how the services were like, where white people shop and where black people shop. I felt the cashier wouldn’t have walked out of her work station if she was working in either of the two malls where white people shop. She felt it was Ok to do that at the mall where obviously it’s only black people who shop there. They’re not educated, they don’t have much money and won’t know where to complain when such services are brought to them. I don’t usually shop at Birch Acres mall Pep Store, but the experience I received at the store left a bitter taste in my mouth because I thought, if a cashier can pull such a stunt, how many times have the customers been mistreated and had no say or anywhere to complain.

I’m writing this email, because I am a paying customer and would like to receive proper treatment.

Furthermore, I would like feedback on what was done about the matter at hand.